There is a familiar pattern. The politician is cornered with incriminating evidence. He holds a press conference. The wife stands by as he admits his failings. The couple agree to work hard to patch things up.

But that's politics. How do affairs play out in real life? We're going to look into this for our next podcast, but here is a taste of what we found. One listener, who wished to remain anonymous to protect the identity of her child, told us that when she sees these politicians make teary eyed apologies to their wives, she isn't cynical. She is a little jealous.